The Meatloaf Mystery
So here’s what Meatloaf told me the song means: he said that there’s a line that comes before every “but I won’t do that” that refers to what he won’t do.
For instance in the first stanza it’s “I’ll never forget the way you feel right now,” in the second one it’s “I’ll never forgive myself” and on and on. Before each chorus, there’s a different thing that he would never do. When you read it (below) , you’ll see what he means. As I asked him, “So it’s a riddle, wrapped in an enigma?”
“Yes,” he said. And he, of course, always enjoyed the suspicion that it had something to do with sex.
Meatloaf – I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)
And I would do anything for love, I’d run right into hell and back
I would do anything for love, I’ll never lie to you and that’s a fact
But I’ll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way
And I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, I won’t do that
Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, oh I won’t do thatSome days it don’t come easy, and some days it don’t come hard
Some days it don’t come at all, and these are the days that never end
Some nights you’re breathing fire, and some nights you’re carved in ice
Some nights you’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before or will again
Maybe I’m crazy, but it’s crazy and it’s true
I know you can save me, no one else can save me now but you
As long as the planets are turning, as long as the stars are burning
As long as your dreams are coming true, you better believe it
That I would do anything for love, and I’ll be there til the final act
I would do anything for love, and I’ll take a vow and seal a pact
But I’ll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way tonight
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
Oh I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, no I won’t do that
I would do anything for love, anything you’ve been dreaming of
But I just won’t do that
(repeats 3x)
(Solo)
Some days I pray for silence, and somedays I pray for soul
Some days I just pray to the God of Sex and Drums and Rock ‘N Roll
Some nights I lose the feeling, and some nights I lose control
Some nights I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls
Maybe I’m lonely and that’s all I’m qualified to be
There’s just one and only, the one and only promise I can keep
As long as the wheels are turning, as long as the fires are burning
As long as your prayers are coming true, you better believe it
That I would do anything for love, and you know it’s true and that’s a fact
I would do anything for love, and there’ll never be no turning back
But I’ll never do it better than I do it with you, so long, so long
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, no no no I won’t do that
I would do anything for love, anything you’ve been dreaming of
But I just won’t do that
(repeats 7x)
But I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life, no way
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, no I won’t do that
[Girl:] Will you raise me up, will you help me down?
Will you get me right out of this Godforsaken town?
Will you make it all a little less cold?
[Boy:] I can do that! I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you hold me sacred? Will you hold me tight?
Can you colorize my life, I’m so sick of black and white?
Can you make it all a little less old?
[Boy:] I can do that! Oh oh, now I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you make me some magic, with your own two hands?
Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand?
Can you give me something I can take home?
[Boy:] I can do that! Oh oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] Will you cater to every fantasy I got?
Will ya hose me down with holy water, if I get too hot?
Will you take me places I’ve never known?
[Boy:] I can do that! Oh oh now, I can do that!
[Girl:] After a while you’ll forget everything
It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night’s fling
And you’ll see that it’s time to move on
[Boy:] I won’t do that! No I won’t do that!
[Girl:] I know the territory, I’ve been around
It’ll all turn to dust and we’ll all fall down
And sooner or later, you’ll be screwing around
[Boy:] I won’t do that! No I won’t do that!
Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, no I won’t do that
In Meatloaf’s day that was a common phrase heard by many. Mostly until they had the ring and then it changed to “I can do that but only on Monday’s Wednesday’s and Friday’s”. Times change and so do the lyrics of songs and their meanings. At least some of the older groups left you with a little mystery. Today they leave no doubt. Sometimes it is better to guess or think you see or hear a little of the forbidden than it is to have it in your face. That is why all the girls when this song came out learned the lyrics by heart. It had a hint of the naughty.
Good Morning Alisyn
There is something very unique about a Jim Steiman song. The lyrics are a bit puzzling but very touching. Over the years Meatloaf has had the pleasure of recording a number of these tunes. Anything for love or Two out of three aint bad are classics and will live forever. Thanks for the memory Ali it brought back a nice feeling.
An enigma on a date? Now that’s kinky…wait, nvermind I was thinking of something else.
Ed
Well, it only took 15 years but the mystery has finally been solved.
Ally, maybe you should do investigative journalism.
Believe me, cracking the Meatloaf Code was no easy feat.
You’re posting Meatloaf’s lyrics and discussing live the increased price of beef… I will do anything for a good steak but I won’t do that.
Good morning Alisyn
Nice parallel
Alisyn,can you guys interview Rep Steve King so he can explain on his comments on obama,what he was talking about was the Islamic extremists would say they would defeat the United States on the war on terrorism if we pull out of Iraq, like Barack Hussein Obama said he would do if he wins and that cant happen.
Sal
Pogger
“In Meatloaf’s day that was a common phrase heard by many. Mostly until they had the ring and then it changed to “I can do that but only on Monday’s Wednesday’s and Friday’s”.
Nope that’s not it. The line “I’ll do anything for love but I wont do that” the “That” refers to
to the line “forget the way you feel right now” Got direct from Meat him self.
And no I did not see “After The Show, Show”, I disabled flash because any type of high
speed Internet connection is not yet available in my area and I don’t want to wait for flash
ads and sites that done in flash to load.
Alisyn after my comment I just made I heard you guys say
Rep Steve King was coming on, wow that was fast.
Sal
The funny thing about Meat Loaf struggling to find the reference to “Great Scott” (he ultimately settled on Perry White) was that “Great Scott” was one of the lines the audience shouted to the Scree while watching “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The reference was to the narrator (and player), Dr. Everett von Scott. If I remember rightly, he was Meat Loaf’s father in the movie as well.
He mentions at the very end of the song that he will not be screwing around on her…but the pharsing is not correct…the “but” I won’t do that should be replaced with “and” I won’t do that….doesnt make sense saying he would do anything but screw around….he would do anything and he won’t screw around….otherwise, every time I hear that song I go nuts….do love any and everything Marvin O’Day does….his newest alblum (1.5 years old) is his best work yet. I Tivo’d the interview and was disappointed that FOX did not return after the first break…did you continue the interview or was it over after threatening to see if Meat Loaf liked meatloaf????
Alisyn,
Firstly, I did watch the AtSS with Meatloaf and meatloaf. He is a man from my day, I thought that it was one of the best ‘afters’ I have seen because the show provoked in me so much thought, especially after reading the words to the song. Although Pogger and Annie may have come close to the real answer, they have just missed the point. (Must be that they are younger.)
Naturally Men and Women are constructed differently, no new news there, but in the day of that time of freedom, the battle of the sexes was (were) different, at least as I remember it. It was a time of confusion. I remember sitting there in the living room with my parents and younger brother watching the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles were on as my older sister could not contain herself. What the hell was this? The American Idol show? Especially as opposed to a few years earlier we were singing to the bouncing ball to Mitch Miller. Also still family event.
Pardon me I digress. Well times change. Free love was based on the new freedom. I admire gentlemen like Steve Doocy for finding the love of his life and those like him and his wife, she must have believed always that he meant that he could answer all the prayers in Meatloafs’ songs, and always encouraged him in that dream, and saw him through all the times of struggles.
My point is that a Man wants to promise his special one all that she needs to feel complete. as the first part of the song indicates, but the women who loose faith, will inhibit the procreation of brilliant offspring conceived in love or use it for their benefit to extort a living.
I won’t do that! I got custody of my children in 1976 because the Court saw in my favor eventually. I played the game with women for years after that, mostly for their curiosity in how a Father gets custody, but I did it on my own…except for my belief in the things my Father and Mother told me about what the real character of a man is.
The song means to me this, I promise with all my heart to do all these things for you, all I ask is that you believe in me, if you fail to do that during our time together, I cannot do that…
Thanks for the sounding board Alisyn, Tony S.
PSS By the way I am so proud of my 3 children, the baby is 30, brother is 33, and older sis is 35, with all my love they honor me… I know the math doesn”t add up on the baby, but her mom died when she was 18 months old. Truly the greatest accomplishment of my life. Now what do I do? Heh
Alisyn- I hope that you cut and pasted that idiot Meatloaf’s lyrics to your post because if you typed all that in manually you need to talk to somebody
Three effective detectives:
1. Sherlock Holmes.
2. Colombo.
3. Alisyn Camerota.
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The ultimate resolve-
To unravel, to solve.
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Mary Elizabeth Rumsey
Three by M.E./Rhymes of the Times
Porter, Texas